Why Is Orton-Gillingham Effective?

A lot of programs that handle dyslexia, especially in the Canada, are based on a method called the Orton-Gillingham.

This approach to reading instruction was established during the early 20th century. Since the 1930’s the Orton-Gillingham approach was being used. The approach is a thorough, chronological phonics-based system which teaches the basics of forming words before the meanings. The Orton-Gillingham approach uses three learning methods, where people learn and these are kinesthetic, auditory and visual. Not like framed and rigid reading modalities, the approach of the Orton-Gillingham method allows flexibility.

The Focus of Orton–Gillingham

The Orton-Gillingham approach concentrates on instructing children at the word level. Although this way will aid in developing reading comprehension, this is the main purpose of the program.

The program utilizes various means in helping children to learn. For instance, for kids to learn the letter “S”, it’s better if they see it, say the name and sounding it while they are writing it in shaving cream. The approach also focuses on perceiving the “how” and “why” of reading. Students will be taught to explore why the sound of the letter S is different in the word “plays” and in “snake”. After knowing stable patterns and rules, they will be able to understand words by themselves.

How Orton–Gillingham Works

The first thing to do is to assess the students reading skills and his/her strength and weakness. This is done by a specialist or a teacher proficient in using the Orton-Gillingham method. Students then are grouped according to their skill levels and then taught. Specialists or teachers use an organized approach that imparts skills in a specific order. This order is centered on the knowledge of how kids naturally develop language.

For instance, initially, the group may focus on correlating the sounds and the letters that the sounds represent. After which, they will start distinguishing those sounds in words. The students must be able to learn every skill before they are allowed to move to the next. If a student is having a hard time, the teacher will teach the skill again from the start. The aim is to let students use the skill that they have learned in decoding words on their own.

It is amazing that a reading method created during the 1930’s is still applicable today, however it is one of the most dependable approach to teaching students with dyslexia to read by concentrating on the main problem of phoneme manipulation, application of multisensory techniques and educating in an extremely structured manner.